A DELEGATION of officials from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Zambian Government, and the donor community this week called on Congolese refugees in Kala and Mwange camps to return home.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Misheck Bonshe said there was no need for Congolese to continue being refugees after the return of relative peace to their home country and urged them to go back and contribute to nation-building efforts of Africa's largest country.

Addressing the refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at Kala Refugee Camp in Kawambwa district of Luapula Province during the week, Mr Bonshe said that the peace had returned to that country and the safety of those going back was guaranteed.

"God in His own wisdom gave you DRC as your country, and God is no longer in the process of creating more countries. DRC is your country, you should be proud of it. You didn't come here voluntarily but because of the circumstances at the time," he said.

The current tripartite voluntary repatriation programme expected to kick off on May 9, 2009 is supported by the UNHCR and the governments of Zambia and the DRC and is targeting to assist 18,549 Congolese refugees to return home.

But according to the UNHCR, only 129 refugees have so far registered for repatriation, thereby raising concern from the Government, donor community and the UN refugee agency.

Mr Bonshe said that the Government would close Kala Refugee Camp together with Mwange in Northern Province soon after the end of the repatriation exercise and remaining refugees would then be subjected to Zambia's Immigration laws.

UNHCR country representative, James Lynch, said the environment was conducive for Congolese refugees to return home with so much support being rendered to their repatriation.

Repatriating refugees were currently provided with food rations, bicycles, and roofing sheets to help ease their integration into their communities back home.

"It's the best opportunity to seize, and return home while the support is there in DRC to receive and help you. These NGOs, the UNHCR, and all donors are not going to wait for you in perpetuity to decide. They will soon be other competing issues for funds," Mr Lynch said.

European Union (EU) head of delegation Derrick Fee said the donor community was ready to support the returning refugees for this year after which the remaining asylum seekers would have to find their way out of the country.

"It is voluntary but you should be aware that the effort and package of repatriation will not last indefinitely. We are going to fund the repatriation only for a limited time and if you are to benefit, you must act within this limited time," he said.